WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND THEN ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH MY SUBURBAN LOST POWERING STEERING CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY-ON-OFF, ON-OFF, ON-OFF. AT 70 MPH THE VEHICLE REPEATEDLY JERKED TO THE RIGHT, AND I HAD TO JERK THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT AND SWERVE BACK INTO THE LANE. HAD INSPECTION MADE, AND FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN POWER STEERING FLUID, INDICATING A COMPONENT FAILURE IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I SEE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TWO YEARS AGO ON AUGUST 1, 2003, BUT NO FURTHER ACTION TO DATE TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
1995
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND DISCOVERED A LARGE BULGE ON THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL OF ONE OF MY TIRES. IT APPEARD THAT THE BELT WAS STARTING TO SEPERATE INTERNALLY BUT HAD NOT RUPTURED THROUGH THE EXTERIOR YET. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY, IN THE UPPER 90'S. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES WHEN THIS OCCURED. THE DAMAGE WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFELY DRIVEABLE. I CHANGED THE TIRE AND STILL HAVE THE DEFECTIVE ONE. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE. THE ONLY NUMBER THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH ON IS THE RECALL LINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TIRE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST SO THEY PROVIDED 2 CONSUMER AFFAIRS PHONE NUMBERS. ONE OF THE NUMBERS IS DISCONNECTED AND THE OTHER CAN NOT BE REACHED FROM MY CALLING AREA. I CALLED FIRESTONE BACK AND THEY COULD ASSIST ME. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I CALL INFORMATION TO GET THEIR PHONE NUMBER.( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: L245/75R16 )